Chapter 34

34

“ Y ou’re grounded,” Gage declared, sweeping Jinx into his arms.

Jinx rolled her eyes but accepted the hug. Her ears picked up the rare sound of his beating heart, and she knew he must have just eaten someone before making his way back to the palace. Pulling back, she said, “It wasn’t my fault. How was I supposed to know Z would show up wearing a Brax meat-suit?”

“Exactly my concern. Zagan could be anyone. You’ll stay within the palace until the bastard is caught. No more gallivanting around the realms,” Gage scolded her.

“I was with Mikhail,” Jinx reminded him.

They were in Brax’s quarters, waiting for the two royals and the two angels to complete their tasks so they could discuss their next steps. It was already late in the day, almost dinner time, and Jinx had managed to avoid everyone until now. She’d spent the day in her guest room, reliving the spectacular Mikhail sex. She’d also freaked out a lot.

“I don’t care who you were with,” Gage said. “And I don’t care about the reason, either. Keep your stripey butt behind the palace walls.”

“I second that,” Eric stated, walking briskly into the room. He looked her over before hugging her and giving her a little shake. “Stop scaring me!”

Jinx pursed her lips. Eric and Gage were in just as much danger as she was. All of Purgatory was. “It’s not intentional.”

“I know that,” Eric soothed. He wrapped an arm over her shoulders, leading her to the comfy lounge. “You can’t help it if you’re a magnet for trouble.”

Jinx shoved him, and he landed laughingly on the cushions. “I think you have me confused with someone else. Many someones.”

Eric’s eyes widened innocently, and he turned to Gage, who was beside him. “Who, me?”

“Yes, you!” Jinx retorted, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring down at the two males. “You’re a vampiric street thief. Gage is a reanimated corpse who eats flesh. Sabre is an angel assassin. Brax hired a notorious assassin to do his dirty work. And Mikhail literally murdered himself. I’m low maintenance compared to all of you.”

“She may have a point,” Gage mock-whispered to Eric.

Eric grinned and shrugged. “Maybe. When are the others getting here?”

“Sabre should be here soon,” Jinx replied, dropping the verbal spanking. It was pointless. The whole crazy bunch of them were entirely unrepentant. And they were never going to change. “She messaged me ten minutes ago. I think Brax and Mikhail will be in the office for a while longer. They have a lot to talk about. Draven will be staying close while Sabre comes here.”

She was feeling anxious about Sabre's arrival. Not only had she promised Mikhail she would reveal the drama with the collar, but she hadn’t spoken alone with her friend since she’d screwed Mikhail’s brains out. She had no idea how the deadly angel would take the news.

“Good. Then we have some time,” Eric said eagerly.

“Time for what?” Jinx asked, sitting herself down in the armchair.

“Time to talk about how Mikhail took you to Heaven yesterday.” Eric winked and leered at her. “In more ways than one.”

She picked up a pillow and threw it at Eric. “How do you know?”

Eric relaxed back against the lounge, though Jinx noted Gage looked a bit stiff. “Brax told me about the trip to the pearly gates. Mikhail asked Brax if he thought you’d like a ‘destination gift’. Brax said he sounded nervous, which is super cute. As for the other thing …” He inhaled deeply. “You smell like sex.”

Jinx gasped, immediately lifting her arm so she could smell her pits. “I do not smell like sex!”

Eric pointed to himself. “Vampire, remember? I can tell you showered—more than once—but the scent of lust and pheromones is still rather strong.”

She was absolutely mortified. Before she could threaten Eric with bodily harm, Sabre opened the door and walked in. She looked tired, something she rarely did. But between Brax, Mikhail, and the civil unrest, she was in high demand. Jinx purposely looked at a point just above Sabre’s right shoulder as she greeted her. If Eric could sniff out the orgasms, Sabre sure as hell could see them.

“What’s going on? You all look guilty, but for different reasons,” Sabre said, squishing onto the lounge next to Gage.

“Nothing,” Jinx was quick to respond. “We were just waiting for you.”

“So we can dissect your sex life?” Sabre blanched. “I’d rather not.”

Eric laughed, and Gage’s lips twitched. Jinx mimed slitting their throats before addressing Sabre. “You know, huh?”

“That you tasted Mikhail’s forbidden fruit? Yes. I know. The pair of you looked like you’d been on a slutty bender when you returned from Heaven,” Sabre informed her dryly.

Jinx felt her cheeks heat, but she didn’t hide this time. “You sound disapproving. I thought you’d be thrilled, what with Operation Cupid on the line.”

“Operation Cupid?” Sabre repeated. “Never heard of it.”

Jinx scoffed, tucking her feet beneath her. “Oh, please. Eric turning into a creep at the library? Lucifer piling on the charm at my birthday? And let’s not forget about all of you bombarding me with a sacred pearl during dodgeball. You conspired to force a reaction out of Mikhail.”

“For a mating,” Sabre said, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her knees. “We were aiming for a mating. Not friends with benefits.”

“That’s not … we’re not …” But she really had no idea what they were. “It was … nice,” Jinx finished lamely.

Gage slapped Sabre up the back of her head, gesturing to Jinx silently. Sabre sighed, looking immediately contrite. She got up and sat down on the edge of Jinx’s seat. “I’m sorry, kiddo. You haven’t done anything wrong. And I’m so glad it was nice. I just want the best for you.”

Jinx remained stiff for a moment before relenting. “I know you do. And while I’m now open to the possibility that Mikhail is what is best for me, I’m not there yet. And neither is Mikhail.” She smiled at Sabre. “I like him. I really do. I also really like his dick.”

Sabre gagged and jumped up. “Nope. I changed that demon’s nappies. I do not need to know what he looks like naked.”

Jinx grinned evilly. “Like a filthy sex god. He’s all together on the outside—his clothes and his manners. But underneath that, Mikhail’s cock is a work of art. It’s really veiny, and the head is?—”

“Uncle!” Gage shouted, jumping to his feet. “I cry, uncle. You win, okay? I promise never to go along with one of Sabre’s craptastic plans again.”

“And are you sorry?” Jinx prodded.

“Yes.” Gage nodded vigorously. “I’m very sorry.”

“I am, too,” Eric said. He flashed her a smile. “Though, not because I don’t want to hear more about Mikhail’s cock. I swing both ways, as you know, and the story was just getting interesting.”

“Ugh, Eric. Please shut up,” Sabre begged, turning to Jinx. “I’m sorry, too. I’m also very proud of how low you just stooped for vengeance.”

Jinx laughed, hugging her knees to her chest. “I really do appreciate you guys. But there are some things you just can’t help with. This is very much a me problem.”

“Would you like to tell us more about it?” Gage offered kindly once they were all seated again.

“Thanks, but I overshared with Mikhail yesterday. I think I’ve released enough emotional energy into the universe for a while,” she replied truthfully.

“You talked about your past with Mikhail?” Sabre asked, her expression guarded.

“I did,” Jinx confirmed. “And I cried all over him.”

“But you never cry. Well, hardly ever,” Gage corrected himself. “I remember when Sabre first brought you to me. You were like a feral kitten, all teeth and claws. But you never cried.”

“I remember,” Jinx admitted with a rueful smile. She’d been a handful. "But you sat there, night after night, talking to me in that gentle voice of yours. You offered me food and company but never pushed. You gave me time to trust again."

“And now you trust Mikhail enough to cry?” Sabre pressed.

Jinx shrugged, resting her chin on the top of her knees. “He said some pretty wise stuff. And, well, maybe it’s time to feel the pain. Feel it to heal it, you know?”

“I do know,” Sabre assured her. Her careful expression melted away, revealing one of pride and hope. “You’ve come a long way.”

“But not far enough,” Jinx said, speaking to herself rather than her friends. But they heard her loud and clear.

“What do you mean?” Eric asked first.

Jinx uncurled herself, knowing she couldn’t put it off any longer. “Other than me trying to wrench myself from the trenches of my past, it appears someone is intent on not letting me forget about it.”

She explained the collar and the working hypothesis she and Mikhail had devised. As expected, everyone lost their darn minds. They jumped to their feet, voices raised as they tried to be heard over each other. Because, apparently, they all had the answer to the problem. From what Jinx could gather, it involved hunting down the culprit and using them as a pinata. Jinx busied herself making a cup of tea in Brax’s kitchenette, leaving her friends to duke out who got dibs on the death blow. She didn’t bother to tell them that Mikhail had already claimed that right.

Things were winding down fifteen minutes later when Mikhail walked in with Brax and Draven. Jinx’s body immediately reacted to his nearness, her heart pounding with excitement. Her belly flipped happily when he made a beeline straight to her, ignoring the chaos in the room. “Hi,” she said breathlessly.

Mikhail’s smile was brilliant when he returned the greeting. “Hi. I assume you told them?”

Brax’s head popped up behind Mikhail’s shoulder. “Which part? The part about the weirdo who sent you a slave collar? Or the part where you two desecrated Heaven? Literally.”

Jinx cracked up, Mikhail joining her after she raised her hand for a high-five. By the time they settled, everyone was staring at them as if they’d lost their minds. “Both,” she finally answered Brax.

“I figured,” Brax grunted. “My reaction was much the same. I don’t know why this is happening to you now, Jinx. But we’ll find whoever is responsible. I promise.”

“You don’t think it’s Z?” Jinx asked, glancing between Mikhail and Brax.

“I honestly don’t know. It could be. He’s capable of so much more than we ever dreamed,” Brax admitted dourly.

“Like killing children,” Mikhail said.

She placed her hand on Mikhail’s arm, offering comfort. “I’m so sorry.” It wasn’t much, but it was all she could think to say. His tense muscles relaxed under her hold, and he gave her a small smile before excusing himself. She looked at Brax. “Is he okay? Maybe I shouldn’t touch him in public. Or at all.” Her mind began to spiral. Was she taking liberties she shouldn’t?

“It’s not you,” Brax said quickly. “It’s not even him. I think I’m the one to blame.” He shot her a sheepish look. “We just had a big heart-to-heart, and some stuff came up. He’s going to be stuck in his own head for a while.”

She looked across the room where Mikhail was talking with Gage. “He looks … sad,” she decided. “Sad and stressed.” His shoulders were more rounded than usual, his lips were drawn into a tight line, and his brows were furrowed. His usually bright green eyes were dull and downcast, with dark circles forming underneath them. He was a far cry from his happy, confident self.

“That’s exactly what he is. I am, too,” Brax confessed, holding his hand up. There was a fine tremor in it. “I don’t see it stopping until we defeat Z.”

“Which we will,” Jinx said firmly. “We have the list. You have a plan in motion to protect the people. You both have new powers that will help defeat Z. We will get him.”

“Ah, you’re such a joy, Jinx,” Brax rumbled, pulling her close. “What would we ever do without you?”

“Not something you need to worry about,” she promised the big teddy bear.

Brax nodded, but he was frowning. “Even if things don’t work out with you and Mikhail?” he asked tentatively.

“Even then.” Her words were firm, but she wasn’t sure she believed them. Was she going to be able to be around Mikhail as nothing but friends now that they’d slept together?

Brax breathed out an exaggerated sigh. “Phew!” His expression turned serious. “I’m happy for you guys. And I want it to work out. But I understand how complex the situation is. For both of you. Just … don’t forget to protect your heart, Jinx.”

She nodded but didn’t respond. Besides, what could she say? She was fairly sure it was already too late.